Covid 19 Part XXXV-956,720 ROI (5,952 deaths) 452,946 NI (3,002 deaths) (08/01) Read OP

I don't disagree with you, you're right, we have generally obeyed the restrictions as a country. But regardless of what the HSE have or haven't done, (personally I wouldn't say its absolutely nothing) the situation is still what it is today - so the question stands, what is the answer ? I'm not being argumentative, I don't know what realistic choices they have, but it can't be "ye should have invested more last year lads", can it ?

Start of 2020 = 255

End of 2021 = 321

So an increase of 66, or 25% approx.

From Department of Health 

Published on 18 December 2020

Last updated on 17 December 2020

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, has today announced a strategic multi-year plan to expand adult critical care capacity from 255 beds to 446 beds.

Work on Phase One of the plan has already begun and will see 321 adult critical care beds in place by the end of 2021, compared to 255 at the start of this year. This will be funded by €52 million allocated in Budget 2021. This funding will also allow for education and training initiatives to increase the critical care workforce and for investment in critical care retrieval services. Under Phase One, an additional 8 beds will be created in St. Vincent’s University Hospital in 2022, subject to completion of the necessary infrastructural development and planning processes, and with funding to be sought within the 2022 estimates process.

The HSE has added 10,000 staff since Jan 2020, so something has been done.

Lockdown isn’t an option imo. They don’t work and it will just be an endless cycle. We’re just going to have to learn to live with it. Also, the government can hardly afford another one. Didn’t the Taoiseach say they’ll do everything in their power to avoid one and pretty sure Steven Donnelly said the same.

It's if your socialising a lot I guess. Just an added potential layer of protection.

I know I socialise a lot so when visiting elderly relatives it's no harm to do a test.

But we are told that the unvaxxed are causing a disproportionate amount of the problems at the moment. Are the unvaxxed going to bother with an antigen test? I wonder what real effect their use will have. It will just be the people who are already vaxxed and being careful who will take them.

ICU now at 117.

There’s a very sad case of deja vu about Austria’s new measures. Looking at hospitalisation stats, why not lock down the over 55’s instead? After all if this is actually about ‘protecting the health service’, that’s the way to do it looking at the data. If people are willing to impose such draconian, totalitarian measures on sections of society - including children aged 12-18 who now are missing school and are under no threat from Covid - why not lock down the age group causing the actual problem? People can’t turn around and say ‘We cannot do that in a democracy’ when that’s exactly what’s being done in Austria & here to a lesser extent using Covid passes. Most of NPHET would have to go into lockdown, along with the Government. Perhaps we’d get a few trailblazers to take their place & sort out the health service. Paul Reid would have to curb his weekend maskless social engagements & Dr Holohan & team would have to deliver their conferences remotely.

I’m fully aware that this is an outrageous suggestion but that’s what seems to be acceptable now regarding our Covid approach. One week the unvaccinated, another week - it could be you.

70-79 100% v'd.

That's a lie. I know a few in their 70s that have refused the v and no intention of getting it.

Don'thave your eyes wide shut.

That's all very fair. I disagree about masks and certs being window dressing though, I'm fairly sure there have been many studies showing mask wearing reduces spread, which only stands to reason IMO. Having to put one on when you've had to show your cert to get in somewhere is madness though.

Advocating a let it rip approach is I think what one of the govt parties wants to do at this point anyway, and maybe that's what will happen, who knows. We're never going into lockdown again, there's really no point.

According to the latest HSPC 14 day report 19.2% of cases are in the over 55s but they make up 64% of hospital cases. The median of those who die is in the 80s. If we truly want to reduce hospital numbers and serious outcomes then the over 55s need to be restricted - no access to pubs, restaurants etc and stay at home orders except for exercise and to go to the food shop. If that was done our hospital cases would plummet but of course that will never be considered, much easier to use the unvaxxed bogeyman.

CIDR 14 day report_20211112_Website.pdf (hpsc.ie)

I think if we are going to start bringing in restrictions again it needs to be sooner rather than later, otherwise really their is no point.

Hospital admissions and ICU admissions are now starting to rise faster after a 2/3 week delay from the rise in cases. I think things unfortunately are going to start looking very bleak again the closer we get to Christmas, and I can only see things getting much worse with many more serious cases and deaths if things are left as they are now.

I know its very disappointing to be talking about this now after such very high vaccination levels in this country but there is plenty to be optimistic for next year, with new treatments comming on line which will hopefully make a big difference, I think after we get over this wave we will be in a much better place.

Aside, the CSO published the suicide statistics for 2020, and as expected they're way down, contrary to what the anti-lockdown mouths were bleating on about.

Down 12.5% on the previous year and 15% on the average of the previous five years. Seems odd to say "good news" in relation to suicide, but I guess it is.

We will probably see it similarly low this year, but there could be a spike in following years. We really need to keep an eye on this.